Lamar women’s soccer has come a long way

Lamar women’s soccer made its debut in 2007 and was outscored 96-2 through a winless season. Then last season, the Lady Cardinals slipped into the Southland Conference tournament for the first time.

Now they’re doing something even better.

Lamar moved to 3-0 in Southland Conference play Sunday with a third straight 1-0 victory, all on the road and this time at Nicholls State.

The Lady Cardinals (6-5-1 overall) play their next two games at home, at 7 p.m. Friday against Sam Houston State and 1 p.m. next Sunday against Stephen F. Austin.

The SFA game could be for the Southland Conference lead. Lamar and SFA are the only two Southland teams without a loss in league play, and Lamar has never won more than three league games in a season.

Here’s today’s game report from the Lamar sports information office.

Lisa Hance’s goal late in the first half lifted the Lamar University women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over host Nicholls in a Southland Conference game Sunday afternoon.

Lamar goalkeeper Jennifer Gibbs made five saves to secure Lamar’s third consecutive win (all 1-0 conference road victories) as the Lady Cardinals (6-5-1 overall, 3-0-0 conference) established a record for wins in a season for the five-year-old program.

Hance, Lamar’s all-time leading scorer, beat Nicholls goalkeeper Molly Mersereau for an unassisted goal from the top of the box with 1:43 remaining in the opening half.

“We are very excited to return home undefeated,” Lamar coach Dewi Hardman said. “It’s never easy to win two on the road and to do it without conceding a goal is great achievement.”

Lamar’s three conference wins tie a school record set last season when the Lady Cardinals went 3-4-2 in Southland play, qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time ever.

Sunday, Lamar had an 18-7 advantage in total shots and a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.

“We played well for most of the game, but lacked the killer instinct to make that good play show in the score,” Hardman said. “Having said that, we didn’t give chances away, and that’s great concentration from the team.”

Mersereau made six saves for the Colonels (6-7-1, 0-4-0).

Lamar returns home for a pair of Southland Conference games next weekend. The Lady Cardinals host Sam Houston State at 7 p.m. Friday and Stephen F. Austin at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Lamar Soccer Complex. For ticket information, call (409) 880-1715, or visit LamarCardinals.com.